Forever Faithful to Life

April 16th – See and believe

Easter SundayFirst Reading: Acts: 10:34, 37-43
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”
Second Reading: Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Gospel: John 20:1-9

In the Easter Sunday morning Gospel account, Peter and John run to the tomb upon Mary of Magdala’s report. It is after entering the empty tomb and noticing the burial cloths laying there that the disciples “saw and believed.”

How often something in our life – a life changing situation particularly involving loss; a personal struggle – has the potential to deepen our faith rather than weakening it. Sometimes it is only by entering the emptiness and noticing the remnants of what had been we actually experience a transformation in which we can accept a new way of seeing & believing. We can rise to new life!

During the Easter Vigil the Gospel (Matthew 28:1-10) again portrays Mary of Magdala’s role in proclaiming the resurrection to the disciples. She shares Jesus’ message with them, “Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” I am reminded of a reflection Pope Francis shared a few years ago in which he explained why Jesus wanted the disciples to go to Galilee. It was the place where they were first called and experienced the love of God revealed in Jesus. It was there that they first felt the fire of the Spirit burning in their hearts. Pope Francis then encouraged us to remember when (and where) we first encountered Christ, the love of God, and felt a inner call to follow in some way.

Easter invites us return to our original faith so we can see and believe in an ever deeper way God’s presence and love in our lives now in this moment whatever may be our unique experience be it joy or sorrow.

In Our Lives as Sisters of The Holy Redeemer. . .

Holy Week and Easter is an invitation for us in a particular way to return to our Charism as a religious congregation. The mission that caught us up since the founding moment is that of contemplating, living and proclaiming the Paschal Mystery. And we see this clearly and historically in Jesus who lived, died and rose again. We are called to see and believe and make known this “mystery” here and now in our lives, the lives of others and all of creation so that we and others may be filled with the hope God offers and freely gives. We have been redeemed! We are loved and free and this is the truth no matter what happens in our lives. Alleluia!
This week we share photos of our Holy Week and Easter commemorations:

In Your Life . . .

Perhaps you will want to take up Pope Francis’ invitation to once again return to the place you first personally encountered God’s unconditional love – was it a specific location, experience, person?

How does this rememberance give you hope and encouragement for today? What have you “seen” that deepens your belief?